Episode 9: A New Day

The door to the warehouse burst open, and Ness and I flew in. Ness released an arrow into one of the walker’s heads as I swung my machete down on another. Robert and Reed came in after us, Reed with a limp in his leg. He grasped a metal bat, and Robert wielded his sword. We moved throughout the vast warehouse room, taking out walkers here and there until the room was clear.

                At the far side of the room was a sliding door that was closed. I raised my hand and motioned to the door. They followed me. I put my ear against it, hearing several sounds of moaning and shuffling. Robert went to the door handle and nodded to me as the three of us pulled out guns. Ness had a hunting rifle, I had a shotgun, and Reed had a handgun. Robert pulled the door open and then scooted back, pulling his assault rifle around with the strap across his shoulder.

                As soon as the door was open, walkers poured out, and we unloaded on them. Very soon, there were so many bodies that the walkers couldn’t help but trip over them. When the last one came out and was killed, I raised my fist and twirled my finger, signaling for Ness and Robert to close up all entrances. As they left, Reed and I took out knives and put down the walkers that were still twitching.

                Ten minutes later, Ness and Robert came back, driving the truck through the largest of openings. They got out, and Robert slid the garage-like door closed. He whipped out a chain and padlock, wrapping them around the door handle and clicking it into place. Ness walked up to me.

                “The rest of the warehouse is secure,” she said. “There were a few walkers in the rooms upstairs. There are some beds, blankets.”

                Reed spoke up, limping into the room.

                “I found some canned food in the kitchen. They should last us a few days.”

                “Good,” I replied.

I saw Robert walking back from the truck with four duffel bags.

“Okay, get your bag and head upstairs,” I said. “Get settled in.”

I walked up to Robert.

“Would you mind taking mine up for me? I’m going to check the perimeter one more time.”

“Need any help?” Ness asked.

“No, I’ll be fine alone.”

Ness and Robert exchanged worried glances.

“Guys,” I said. “I’m fine. Really.”

I turned and walked away. I understood their concern. I really did. It had been only two days since…But really, I was fine.

I closed the door behind me as I walked out. The warehouse was rather small compared to some of the others we had passed, but it was better than the McDonald’s and the bank we had stayed at. It had a main building and then a smaller attachment on the north side. Most of the windows were broken, and the brick walls were littered with graffiti. There were four doors on the building, one on each side. I noticed that the second floor was partial, opening to the main room of the warehouse. I rounded the west wall and then the north, but as I walked down the east wall, something caught my eye.

Close to the wall with tall grass all around was a little pond. I walked slowly towards it. The water was clear, but with a thin layer of algae growing at the top. I dropped to my knees. Scattered among the water were beautiful lilies.

I reached out with shuddering hands and picked up one from the water. I looked at its ridges, its pedals, its center, but all I could see was her face. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Then suddenly her face became pale and bloody. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn’t moving. Sluggishly, her eyes opened, but it wasn’t her. Her eyes were grey and dead. She lunged at me, and I watched as another me put a bullet in her brain.

The tears came, but I choked them down. With the flower clenched in my hands, I tore it to shreds. Quickly, I stood, turned around, yelled, and slammed my fist into the brick wall. I didn’t even feel it, but the skin over my knuckles burst open. Blood ran down my arm. I was breathing heavily as I laid my head against the wall.

I heard a twig snap behind me, so I quickly wiped my eyes on my sleeve.

“Oh,” I said. “Hey.” Sniff. “I didn’t hear you.”

I turned around, and the walker tackled me. We fell backwards into the pond. It held me down beneath the water, but with all of my strength, I held it back. It was missing an arm, so I held the other in one hand and put my other hand against its neck. I shoved my knee against its abdomen.

I was running out of air. Water went up my nose. The walker thrashed around. In a mighty heave, I pushed us both out of the water with my legs. I landed on top of the water on the bank of the pond. I struggled beneath my, but I pinned it down. Its mouth snapped. Its fingers wrapped around my bicep.

I reached out and grabbed a large rock nearby. It was heavy, but I picked it up and brought it down hard on the walker’s head. Its skull burst open, but it still moved. I hit it again and again and again and again. Eventually, I was covered in blood, and the walker’s head was reduced to a pile of mush.

Rolling over, I laid my back against the brick wall, breathing heavily and burying my head in my hands.

Back inside, Ness wiped my face while Robert wrapped my nearly broken hand. They didn’t say anything, but I could feel their concern.

“Where’s Reed?” I finally asked.

“Upstairs,” Ness said. “Sleeping.”

“Already? It’s not even dark yet.”

“He’s had a really rough few days.”

I nodded. Reed was hurt, he lost people he was close to, he was only eleven, and this was his first time on the road.

“We should probably turn in, too,” I said.

We walked to the stairs, but Ness stopped me. As soon as Robert was out of earshot, she began.

“Hey, are you okay?” she immediately laughed and added, “What am I saying? Of course you’re not okay.”

“Thanks,” I said sarcastically. “I’m fine.”

I started to walk past, but she stopped me.

“Look, I know it’s hard, but we’re all feeling the loss of Lily, you know. You don’t have to—you can’t shut down like this.” I looked down. “We need you. Reed needs you…”

I was silent.

“You know he looks up to you,” she continued. “He thinks of you as his big brother.” I smiled. “And Lily as his big sister.”

I sniffed and put my hands in my pockets.

“Erik, you’re our leader whether you want to be or not, but you need to be strong. We depend on you, and I won’t let you fall apart.”

Her were logical, but they seemed impossible. I smiled at her anyway. She smiled too and gave me a hug. I wrapped my arms around her, and we stood there for the longest time.

When I woke up the next day, it was quiet. I went downstairs to find Reed and Ness eating canned vegetables. She smiled at me as I sat down. Reed handed me a can of green beans and a can opener. Robert came in several minutes later carrying a large cage containing a few trapped squirrels still alive and scurrying around. We went past us to the back room while raising the cage and saying, “dinner.”

After Ness was finished eating, she bent over and examined Reed’s leg. She pulled off the bandages and cleaned the wound. It was healing rather quickly, but Reed still winced whenever Ness touched it. When she was done, she wrapped his thigh with fresh bandages.

We were cleaning up our empty cans whenever thunder rocked the building and rain began to fall. The rain hitting the tin roof echoed loudly throughout the warehouse. Robert came back out and sat with us.

BOOM!

Reed jumped, then laughed at himself. Lightning flashed outside.

BOOM!

Robert opened his can of vegetables. Another flash.

BOOM!

The windows rattled. Ness brought out a book and began to read. Robert sharpened his sword once he was done eating. Reed sighed and laid his head down. Lightning flashed several times.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BAM!

BOOM!

Reed lifted his head, and I stood up.

“What was that,” I asked.

Ness gave me an odd look. “Um…thunder?”

“No. I think it was—”

BAM! BAM!

Now, they were on alert.

“Those were gunshots,” Robert stated.

Ness grabbed her bow and a couple of arrows from her quiver beneath the table. She went to the window and peered out.

“I don’t see anything,” she said.

I ran to the far wall and got my machete and gun from where I left them on the workbench. I stuck the gun in the holster at my thigh and went to the main doors.

“Reed,” I began. “Get your gun and stay clear of the windows. Get somewhere safe. Robert, go upstairs and use the scope on your rifle. Cover me, and keep a look out. Ness, lock all of the doors after I leave, and keep Reed safe.

“What are you doing?” she questioned.

“I’m going out there,” I stated. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back. When you hear four knocks on the door, you’ll know it’s me.”

I walked out the door before she could protest.

Outside, it was pouring rain. I could barely see twenty feet in front of me. Waves of rain smashed against me. I really reconsidered my choice to go out there.

BAM!

I heard the shot again and followed it. I came to a long, empty street that extended out in front of me. With the rain obstructing my view, I couldn’t see the end of the street, but I saw small shops lining the sidewalks, boarded up and abandoned. I heard an odd sound coming toward me and seconds later, I saw headlights breaking through the mist. An SUV pulled into view. It was heavily armored with scrap metal and was sporting a large machine gun through the sunroof on top.

It was going slow, as if it were searching for something. I made the quick decision to dash into one of the shops. The first door was locked. The second was as well. I opened the third just as the SUV passed. I closed it behind me and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, there were hands all over me, taking my gun and my machete. I was pushed to the ground. I turned my head and saw six figures in the small bookshop. A large Hispanic man had a shotgun pointed at me next to a smaller girl with blonde, wavy hair going down her shoulders. She held a handgun and both my gun and machete in the other. Her cool-grey eyes bore into me. Behind the two of them was a tall, Asian guy that looked to be about my age, standing in the corner. Near him was a man on the ground, unconscious. There was a little girl on her knees next to him and a woman hovering over him, pushing towels onto his chest.

My eyes fell back upon the girl with the gun pointed at my nose. She was beautiful. Her skin was flawless, and her golden hair fell perfectly around her.

“Mara,” the other woman said. “David’s losing a lot of blood.”

The girl looked back, then back at me. She sighed and looked over at the Hispanic man. “We don’t have time for this,” she said. The man nodded, and I saw her turn to the injured man just as the big guy hit me with the butt of his gun.

Everything went black.